INVESTORS wanting to buy rural land in Cheshire are being put off by inflated prices forced up as a result of the foot-and-mouth crisis.

The value of farmland in the county has rocketed since the outbreak began in February.

The news has come as a surprise to the farming industry who feared rural land would plummet in value as a result of the crisis.

But farmers are being put off selling their land due to the risk of foot-and-mouth being spread by a constant stream of potential buyers trekking through their fields.

This has led to a shortage of rural land on the market in Cheshire which has caused its value to go through the roof.

Empty land is currently valued at between #2,500 and #7,000 an acre, and working farms can command between #4,000 and #5,000 an acre, even without milk quotas.

Although the value of farmland regularly fluctuates experts say it is now at the highest it has been in years.

And as the crisis continues, more and more farmers are likely to hold back from selling which means prices will continue to rise.

Tony Rimmer, a Cheshire member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, said: 'Over the last quarter, farmland prices have risen due to a lack of land on the market, which is a result of the foot-and-mouth crisis.

'There is not enough land coming on sale for the number of people who want to invest because owners are taking it off the market due to restrictions imposed on them.

'But it must be remembered that, in most cases, this is only a deferral of sale. Once the crisis is over in Cheshire, we would anticipate land will go back on sale which might cause the market to go the opposite way.'

Alan Gardiner, chairman of the Cheshire branch of the National Farmers' Union, said many farmers believed now was a bad time to sell.

'There is a lot of uncertainty around at the moment and for many farmers, going through the selling process is the last thing on their minds,' he said.

'They are concentrating on coming out the other side of the foot-and-mouth crisis so it is understandable that the value of farmland is rising.

'The old saying about them not making land any more is true.

'Therefore the value of farmland is nothing to do with earning potential from farming on it, it is dictated by what people are prepared to pay.'

Of the farmers that are putting their land on the market, many are selling it for commercial development, according to Mr Rimmer, who is based with a Chester firm of rural surveyors.

But he warned that farmers disillusioned with the industry after witnessing the slaughter of hundreds of their animals may be acting rashly.

'A lot of very busy farmers have effectively had time to sit back and assess their options for the first time in years and there is a danger in thinking 'I've had enough, I want out',' he said.

'Without the right calibre of advice such a venture could turn sour.

'After several months of foot-and-mouth disruption, the last thing the rural economy needs is ill-conceived business ventures.'